Wandsworth Council has decided to end its Borough of Sanctuary programme, a move that will see the disbandment of the Wandsworth Migration Board and the cessation of its associated grants fund.
The decision, made by the Council's Cabinet on Monday 12 October 2026, is part of a wider Medium Term Financial Strategy aimed at addressing a significant structural budget gap. This strategy is driven by factors including reduced government funding, rising demand for statutory services, and inflation.
The strategy encompasses a comprehensive Spending Review covering all areas of spending, income generation, capital investment, borrowing, and reserves. The Wandsworth Grants Fund will be suspended for four years as part of the approved policy intentions.
The Borough of Sanctuary programme, including its grants fund and the Wandsworth Migration Board, will be ended. The meeting summary states: To end the Borough of Sanctuary programme, including its grants fund, and to disband the Wandsworth Migration Board.
The Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy outlines the need for significant savings, with a stacked bar chart illustrating the breakdown of costs contributing to a required Council Tax increase. This includes £84m from government funding cuts, £65m from additional costs due to inflation, and £41m from inherited spending plans. Demand pressures account for £24m, with other investments and additional police and street cleaning contributing £3m and £5m respectively. The total council tax increase required is £143m, against savings of £79m.
Further details on the financial strategy can be found in the Supplementary Agenda Appendix 4 to the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Recommendations from OSC.
The decision was formally recorded in the Statement of Decisions 12th-Oct-2026 Cabinet.
